


Lethallan, lethallin

by FalseProphet (Batmanthegroomer)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-09
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-04-25 12:39:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4960957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batmanthegroomer/pseuds/FalseProphet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clan Lavellan has sent their First on what they assumed would be an easy mission. Aeda was to scout out the Conclave, the meeting of human mages and their templars. She was to gather information, learn what the humans were doing, and report back.</p>
<p>The clan could not have known--the Keeper could not have foreseen--what would happen. A massive explosion rips a hole into the very sky and threatens all life on Thedas.</p>
<p>But as Aeda wakes after the explosion, as she is accused of murdering the Divine, she is told she was not the only soul to survive the blast...</p>
<p>--A re-telling of Dragon Age Inquisition with two Lavellan Inquisitors, instead of one. Featuring lyriumrebel‘s Aeda and my Rawls.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> This first part starts in the very beginning of the game, during the walking tutorial. Cassandra has just told us the Temple of Sacred Ashes was destroyed in the explosion as well.
> 
> Dialogue in italics is in a different language from the rest of the dialogue.

Aeda blinked hard. The words that had been spoken to her, she understood them--she knew she did--but they did not take hold, they did not register. She understood their meaning but not what they meant. She stared hard at the ground in front of her, the sounds of Haven like a celebration just out of reach.

She could feel the eyes of the human--Cassandra--on her more powerfully than the eyes of the others. They had been watching her--judging, talking to themselves about her while she was mere feet in front of them--but something about Cassandra's gaze was... different. She still felt the racial judgement--brief as their time together had been--but Cassandra at least still spoke to Aeda with... something like dignity. All it did was convince Aeda to give Cassandra a chance. The Dalish had tomes of reasons not to trust humans and Aeda was not about to forget them. It was the only thing she could remember, the only thing she still felt sure of anymore.

The Conclave... gone. All those lives lost. How could Aeda have survived? She didn't remember anything or-or did she? There were fuzzy images, jumbled sounds like words.

Aeda reached up and put a hand to her head. She tightened her fingers into her dark hair and squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could. Her body hummed with pain that refused to localize to one injury; her whole body was aflame.

"Why are you telling me this?" Aeda said at last, her voice softer than she would have liked. She did not want to appear as weak and lost as she felt, not to these people and not like this. She had little choice, however, nothing could have prepared her for this and so she had no barriers to put up, no walls to hide behind.

"Because... the only other person to survive the Conclave will not talk with us." Cassandra said slowly, eyes downcast. Her own opinion on the elf was irrelevant but she did not like lying to anyone. She had felt it in their best interest to let this Aeda believe she was alone until such a time arose when they could tell her the truth. It did not make telling the truth easier and though Cassandra did not care what the Dalish thought of her in turn, she did not welcome the backlash she knew was coming.

"Only other..." Aeda's head quickly snapped towards Cassandra. Her eyes narrowed slightly like the lines of Dirthamen across her face. "You said I was the only survivor! You claimed everyone else had died!"

"I had to make sure /you/ would talk to us first. I had to make you understand what was at stake. I had to ensure at least one of you was... reasonable." Cassandra's tone was tense. She did not want to risk any advances she had gained with Aeda but the Seeker had never been particularly good at hiding her disdain.

Aeda fixed Cassandra with a look she was surprised she managed in the shock she found herself in. Her lips pressed together tightly.

"They... won't talk to you? Why?" 'What do they know that I don't?' The Dalish quickly asked herself. She then recalled waking up in Haven's dungeon, being surrounded by guards. Cassandra had practically threatened to kill her within seconds of meeting Aeda. That was enough to keep most people silent, she imagined. Aeda kept her face set in a practiced scowl knowing she could not afford to give any more of herself away. She had been trained her whole life to lead, to take up after her Keeper, maybe this was the Gods' way of preparing her for that moment. She was being tested and she would not fail.

"He..." Cassandra sighed. She stood and held out her hand for Aeda's. "Perhaps it would be better if I showed you. I'm not sure I can politely describe the way he has... received us."

Aeda's head swam with 'politely': Cassandra was worried about upsetting Aeda. Why? She claimed they needed Aeda to close the Breach--or at least that was what they believed--it was certainly starting to look like the truth.

Aeda followed behind Cassandra quietly, though her mind was a storm of voices and questions. Cassandra lead her towards another large gate-house, this one more heavily armed. Aeda quickly counted seven humans outside, armed and rather alert. They were concentrated towards the right side of the tower and as they neared Aeda felt them all size her up cautiously.

Cassandra lifted a hand and attempted to dismiss the worry as she and the prisoner approached--the prisoner with her hands free. The guards shuffled but tried to appease the Seeker.

"I am taking her up to see the other prisoner."

"Are you sure that's wise, Seeker?" One of the guards, a woman, said with a heavy frown. "She seems like she's... behaving."

Aeda did not enjoy the look she was given. She did not like the secretive tones. She pinned her ears back slightly to show distaste, though she did not expect the humans to pick up on her body language. They were mute in that way.

"Yes. I am sure." Cassandra sounded more confident than she felt. The guards moved aside and Cassandra ushered Aeda forward. Together they ascended a small staircase. Once the door was closed behind them, the sounds of arguing voices immediately filled the air.

Aeda could not make out words but she could clearly hear tones. Someone was making demands and the answering voice was mumbling, but clearly aggressive. It did not seem like much progress was being made with the second prisoner, though it did seem as if he was at least speaking.

Cassandra stopped them just outside the door to the uppermost room. She glanced over her shoulder at Aeda.

"Before I open this door, I want you to know that we had him bound just like you, minimally... at first."

"At first?" Aeda said quickly, earning a nod from the Seeker.

"He bit one of our men, and nearly kicked another out of the window. We felt more drastic measures were needed after that."

Aeda felt her stomach sink. This was the only other person to survive the explosion--perhaps the only other person with answers--and it was looking worse and worse the more Cassandra talked. If he was acting so hostile towards these people, what hope did Aeda have to get through to him? She was beginning to hope she could pass along this mark to him, to put the whole ordeal on his shoulders and get back to her clan, but her Gods had more for her yet.

Aeda took a breath and nodded as Cassandra opened the door.

There were four guards in the room; one stationed at the door, one at the window, and two in front of the prisoner. The prisoner in question was bound to the floor on his knees, hands behind his back with what appeared to be a mabari's muzzle haphazardly placed upon his face. His marked face--his Dalish face.

"Rawls!"

"Aeda?"

Rawls tilted his head to the side as much as possible to really process what he was seeing. His clan's first, Aeda, apparently alive and well. She was standing--unbound--next to the dark haired woman who Rawls had first seen upon waking up. He sneered behind the mask on his face as Aeda moved forward. His relief that she was alive was matched by his anger that he'd been lied to, that they'd been kept apart. He was supposed to be guarding her and they had prevented him from doing his job.

Aeda shook her head and felt her body flooded with a small measure of relief. In the rush and chaos she had almost forgotten Rawls had gone with her to the Conclave. He had been a last minute addition to her trek by their Keeper. Rawls had always been a trouble maker but both he and the Keeper insisted he was /trying/ to change. The Keeper felt that maybe this trip could help Rawls find his meaning in life, calm his temper and put him on even footing. 'If anyone can do it,' the Keeper had said to Aeda while convincing her to take Rawls, 'it's you.'

Cassandra nodded towards the guardsmen, motioning them to step back as Aeda approached Rawls.

"The Shems lied to you too, huh?" Rawls growled, narrowing his eyes as Aeda knelt in front of him. He could tell by the wide-eyed and teary look in her eyes that she believed him to be dead... just as he'd been led to believe she was dead. He was overwhelmed to see her alive but now was not the time for that. It was time to plan an escape--plan revenge--and warn the clan.

_"What did they tell you?"_ Aeda said quietly as she reached out to untie the muzzle. She noted the humans around her shift as she spoke in elvhen, a language clearly none of them understood.

_"The Conclave blew up. Everyone was dead except me. They think I'm responsible."_

_"And attacking them was a good way to prove your innocence?"_

_"Aeda! You know what they do to our kind!"_

Aeda dropped the muzzle to the floor. She glanced up briefly at the men before moving to untie Rawls.

_"They lied to us."_ Rawls hissed watching over Aeda's shoulder as the dark haired human lifted her hand to keep the men away.

_"They're scared."_

_"Frightened humans are unpredictable."_

"Are you sure that is a good idea?" Cassandra said as Aeda stood up, removing the last of Rawls' bonds. She watched as Rawls reached up and clapped a hand on the back of Aeda's neck. He pulled their foreheads together rather roughly, noses almost touching. Both sets of ears perked forward towards each other as the duo seemed to share a few breaths, eyes closed.

"Rawls is a member of my clan, family." Aeda indicated the warrior Lavellan as she was released from the embrace. "I'm not leaving him bound like an animal."

"Then maybe he shouldn't act like an animal." The guardsman to Cassandra's left opened his mouth before the Seeker could react. Rawls was on his feet in seconds, stopped--like the guardsman--only by a hand on his shoulder.

"That is enough."

"Rawls, stand down."

Neither the guardsman nor Rawls looked pleased, but neither man moved to further the conflict. Aeda and Cassandra regarded each other. Rawls felt the hair on his arms and the back of his neck stand on end. His lips curved into a snarl, his palms itched. Aeda felt magic swirling around her, centered at her stomach and encircling her like a worried pet. The mark on her hand pulsed, but not with light as it had done just moments before, with a tingling sensation... reacting to her magic.

"You were both at the Conclave. Right now, we need both of you."

"The Conclave was /your/ concern, shem concerns. Why should we help you?" Rawls growled. Standing next to Aeda, Cassandra was clearly able to see a blood-resemblance between them. There were differences--notable--but enough common features were shared to indicate a familial bond. The markings on their face were the same in design, however Aeda's marks were flushed with a dark brown color; Rawls' were scarred into his flesh.

"Because you're responsible!" One of the guards shouted, moving a foot forward before Cassandra again stopped him.

"Halla shit!"

"You're the only ones who survived! You killed the Divine!"

"What is yelling going to solve!"

"This is getting us nowhere!" Cassandra and Aeda shouted, nearly in unison. The women once more regarded each other as the men in their command stood down yet again.

"I cannot say what will happen I can only stress to you the importance of this situation and your involvement in it. Our Most Holy is gone and with it the only hope of peace between mages and templars. You are the only souls alive to survive, you are our only link to what happened... our only suspects. Both of you have a mark we cannot explain which we have reason to believe may help us close the breach."

Aeda and Rawls quickly turned, hands in question rising as if simply mentioning the mark made it ache. The Dalish studied each other. Rawls looked down just slightly to meet Aeda's gaze as she tilted her head up to do the same. Pupils widened, ears twitched and flattened. Slowly they opened their hands, turning palms skyward between them. Eyes moved down to study the strange, nearly identical markings softly leaking a green glow.

Aeda's dark hair fell slowly into her eyes. She felt a pit at the bottom of her stomach grow and threaten to eat her inside-out as she looked at the marks. They felt... intrusive. Cassandra had said it was killing her; was Rawls in the same danger?

Rawls sneered, crinkling his nose into a sour expression. He could see Aeda's eyebrows knit together in worry. He was no mage, he had no talent nor time for magic, so to see her distraught could only spell disaster. He snapped his head up. His dreadlocked hair rubbed harshly against the shorn sides of his head, his tie having been broken in the earlier scuffle with his guards.

"What are they?" Rawls demanded.

"Did I not just tell you we cannot explain them?" Cassandra sounded as if her patience was nearing an end.

"Why do you think we'll help you?"

"Is Rawls' life in danger too?" Aeda said, slowly moving to hold her hand over Rawls'.

"Yes." Cassandra said bluntly, though clearly understanding the implications. The Seeker watched as Rawls turned to look back at Aeda. The marks responded to their proximity to one another by releasing small tendrils of green that licked against the air separating them. The Dalishs' fingers twitched in response.

"Please. I must get you to the Breach; we must attempt to close it. It is our only hope, and right now you are our only weapon."

_"I don't trust them."_ Rawls hissed in warning.

_"We don't have a choice. This Breach threatens us as much as them. We... we have to try."_

_"They want us dead."_

_"We have to try, Rawls."_

_"If they lift a single hand to harm us..."_

_"They might know more than they're telling us about this whole thing."_

_"You will not be able to hold me back."_

_"Thank you."_

Aeda turned towards Cassandra, balling her left hand into a fist and closing it against her chest.

"Take us to the Breach."

Cassandra nodded. The guards in the room looked to one another and then to the Seeker for instruction.

"We're not just... letting them go, are we?" The man nearest Cassandra ventured. He was rewarded with a dismissive hand.

"No, but we cannot expect their co-operation if we tether them like beasts."

Rawls pinned his ears back as far as they would go. He could feel Aeda at his side bristling as well, but she was more collected. She watched, she waited and she learned while Rawls struck first and investigated what remained. He lifted a hand and placed it gently at the small of Aeda's back as their Keeper's words echoed in his head. This was his last chance to prove himself more his father's son than his mother's... his last chance to earn himself a place within clan Lavellan.

Aeda wanted to brush Rawls off, his hand on her back. She was fully capable of defending herself--she was First after all--but she found the gesture oddly comforting. Her body burned and her hand felt as if eels were trapped under her skin, being able to focus on Rawls' warm palm against her spine was welcome.

Cassandra turned to meet Aeda's eyes. There was a silent question and though outwardly friendly it was still backed by swords and action. The Seeker wanted to show a little compassion but the elves were still under investigation, still considered guilty. Playing by the rules of the human's game might work out in their favor. Aeda gave a slow nod and felt Rawls' fingers turn into the back of her tunic slightly.

Cassandra nodded in turn, moving to open the door and lead out the elves. She could hear the minds of her men disapproving of her decision, but she could not bother herself with those things now. She too mistrusted the elves--they certainly had a deal to gain from sending the human world into a bigger mess--but she had a job to do. The Breach was the top priority and if the apostate was to be trusted, the two Dalish might be the only key they had to close and lock the door.

The Seeker ushered the elves down the stairs and out of the tower. They were silent but she felt as if they were still talking to each other, like halla in the woods who could communicate danger without ever making a sound. The smallest of movements and an entire herd could flee. Cassandra watched Aeda's ears stiffen, pointed forward, parting easily through her thick hair. Rawls' ears were flat against the back of his skull, barely moving, only visible when a lock or two slid in a certain direction.

They stepped into the cool air and Cassandra took a sharp breath. Rawls' ears slid up and he glanced around quickly, taking stock of the area and the forces around him. The Seeker knew their forces were weak--spread too far, too thin--and the Dalish might have a chance if they took it.

_"Aeda, we need to run."_ Rawls whispered, continuing forward at a slow pace, Cassandra's watchful gaze like a sword at their backs.

_"Not until we see more; not until we learn all we can about this Breach."_

_"Aeda!"_

_"Why did the Keeper send us out here?"_ Aeda sneered, turning to glance over her shoulder. _"To learn, to watch, to listen."_

_"At the Conclave, hidden from shemlin eyes, Aeda! Not surrounded, paraded through their camps, defenseless."_

_"The Keeper couldn't have known what was going to happen. Cassandra told me of the Breach before she led me to you and if half of what she said is true, this isn't just a shemlin problem anymore, Rawls..."_

Cassandra tried to ignore the hiss of elvhen words exchanged before her. She could hear the rip in the sky rumbling in the distance, spitting green fire and demons onto the earth. She hoped that the Dalish could put aside their selfishness--for once--and realize what a threat the Breach really was. Unless they knew something the rest of them did not. Unless this was part of their plan.

Aeda shrugged to the side slightly as the trio started across a small bridge, removing Rawls' hand from her tunic. She heard him grumble in response but she was in no mood to deal with his tantrums. If he was truly attempting change now was the time to show it. This was an almost fitting test for now he was being forced to put others before himself for no other reason than their safety.

All three pairs of eyes darted skyward as a roar akin to thunder shuddered them to the core. They widened their stances as the earth began to shake under them, the bridge shuddering. Warned only by seconds they were too far along the bridge to dodge a large green meteor of flame as it shimmered through the sky. Rubble and cracked stone that was once a sturdy bridge flew into the air as Rawls, Aeda and Cassandra scrabbled to keep their footing.

The bridge's structure caved in completely and the trio had no options but to brace for a fall. The ice of the frozen lake did nothing to cushion them as they landed, rolling and attempting to shake off the echo of an explosion in their ears. Cassandra darted immediately in front of the Dalish, catching them both off-guard as she removed her weapon and released her shield.

The Dalish turned their eyes in the direction of Cassandra's gaze. Their pupils dilated and their ears swung forward as they witnessed the Breach's true power... demons began spawning from the pools of green ichor splashed onto the ice. Aeda could recognize them by their titles but Rawls had no names to give the nightmarish things before him. They writhed and twisted into the air as if pulling themselves free of spider webs and Cassandra seemed almost eager to meet them head on.

Aeda blinked and upon re-opening her eyes she saw the trickle of green beneath them. A slowly growing pool of green sludge was forming just along the ice below her and Rawls. She thrust out her hand and grabbed the sleeve of his leather tunic, pulling him backwards. The Dalish scuttled backwards as quickly as possible as a large demon pulled itself free of the green ooze.

Rawls eyes darted around the expanse of frozen lake they found themselves stranded on. His eyes scanned the rubble around them and by the blessing of Dirthamen he spotted a crate, smashed to pieces. It had been full of weapons; bows, swords, staves, daggers and shields. He flipped to his hands and knees and darted towards the debris.

Aeda's eyes were glued onto the demon gurgling in front of her. Never had she seen one so imposing, so intimately physical and so focused on her. She could practically feel the creature's dark intent, squeezing her chest tightly. Her hand throbbed and with it came the resurgence of her magic, boiling to life just beneath her skin.

"Aeda!" Rawls shouted, tossing a staff forward. He had no idea what constituted a good staff, but it was the only one not broken by the crash so it would have to do. Armed himself with a two-handed sword almost as long as he was tall, he moved to Aeda's side. He sneered at the demon as Aeda whirled the staff.

A shatter of white energy began to circle the tip of Aeda's staff, hissing and crackling all the way down until it met the ice. She thrust her right hand into the sky and closed her fist around the air itself. The staff hissed and the ice splintered with electricity as Aeda seemed to pull a bolt of lightning from the clouds above.

Rawls watched as the bolt struck home, the demon back-lit and howling. He darted forward and hefted the sword above his head. As the creature slowly began shaking off the shock of lightning, Rawls' swing met with what he assumed was a right shoulder. The hit felt real enough, sounded real enough, and sent the beast backwards and down, parts of its legs sinking back into the green goop at it's feet.

Rawls spun on his heel, whirling and using the force to deliver a vicious blow to the creature's side. Aeda echoed his hit with a blunt blow of energy, centered on the creature's chest. It lurched from Rawls' hit and lifted completely off the ice with Aeda's. Its nearly incorporeal body shimmered and vanished into a filth of green smoke.

Rawls and Aeda looked at each other before dashing forward as Cassandra dispatched her own demon.

"They're gone." Aeda said, breathless with the horror of what they'd just seen.

Cassandra spun and her eyes grew wide. She aimed her sword towards the Dalish, expression cold. Rawls moved to stand nearly in front of Aeda, sword at the ready and his teeth barred like a wolf. Aeda gripped the staff with both hands.

"Drop you weapons!" Cassandra shouted.

"Are you insane?" Rawls snarled.

"Drop them!"

"We were just attacked!" Aeda pointed upwards. "By the demons falling from the sky!"

Cassandra glanced upwards momentarily before looking back down at the Dalish.

"If you insist, we will drop our weapons, but can you honestly promise we won't be attacked again? You're leading us towards that thing, aren't you? Towards more demons?"

Cassandra sighed heavily at Aeda's words. She nodded and relaxed her stance. She noted immediately that it took Rawls a good minute longer to do the same.

"I cannot make that promise, and you are right. I am leading you towards the heart of this... this thing." The Seeker met Aeda's eyes, and for the first time something other than fear and accusation was visible. "I should remember that you did not try to run."

Rawls slowly slipped the blade into the sheath at his back; having recognized the size comparable to his usual weapon of choice. He watched as Aeda glanced upwards, her expression hard to read.

"They have been coming faster, and with greater numbers, ever since the explosion." Cassandra explained as she turned to lead the group up a small hill. "It is all we can do to keep them at bay, we cannot hope to move forward towards the Breach like this."

Rawls nodded Aeda to follow Cassandra up, scanning the ice behind them as he took up the rear.

"They drop like poison and haunt the area of the spill, or the very air itself rips into a rift that continuously spits them into our world." Cassandra paused and pointed up a hill in front of them. "The forward camp is that way, along with the few men we have to spare fighting the onslaught. We need to reach them and the rift there. We can test the marks, see what we can make of this whole mess there. It is dangerous, be on your guard."

Aeda nodded, grounding herself to her newly assigned weapon. It felt alien, but willing. She closed her fist around the polished wood and felt energy curl into the shaft. It responded in kind, and she felt a bit more relaxed. Behind her Rawls unsheathed the sword at his back, twisting it in his hands as he began walking side-ways and backwards to stay alert.

Just a few feet up the hill--as a structure in the distance became their clear destination--a now-familiar roar halted the group. Rawls darted forward as the swirling mass of destruction splattered into ice a few yards ahead. Rawls glanced over his shoulder and Aeda nodded.

Almost as if trained together, Cassandra and Rawls were instantly on the offensive. Swords lifted they moved across the ice and were ready and waiting by the time the demons took form. From behind them Aeda began a dance with her staff, using it to help guide her magic. She was adept without a staff--as was their Keeper--but with the focus things went much smoother. She could pull more energy into each blast without worrying about stray fire. She could make called shots to specific points on her target rather than simply aiming at the creatures as one whole.

Rawls kept himself low, knees bent and center of gravity shifted. He used the ice to his advantage and began a whirlwind of attacks, putting forth very little effort to spin himself from one enemy to the next. He pulled his blade through the air horizontally as he moved, slicing at anything that dared get in his way. Cassandra quickly singled out the largest target, and with a cry of challenge, met the demon's claws with her shield.

Aeda kept her focus on Rawls. She was not keen to watch Cassandra fall, but she was unfamiliar with the human's techniques and fighting style. She knew Rawls and was easily able to provide him the back-up he needed. As he dodged down she swiped her attack up; while he parried left she struck at the right. She quickly became a blur of motion, tendrils of electricity surging around her.

Together the group made rather quick work of the demons, smearing the ice with other-worldly gore. Slightly out of breath Rawls and Cassandra regarded each other, having ended up on either side of their final foe. It seemed for a second under the accusation and hostility that something like respect lingered. Rawls' attention was caught as the sound of Aeda's footsteps turned his head.

"We need to keep moving." Aeda said, sounding more breathless than the others. "My head is... pounding. I don't know if it's the Breach or the demons or this whole mess, but I'm losing focus."

Rawls gritted his teeth and pinned back his ears. He knew they should have made a run for it. His body was more used to tough physical abuse than Aeda's, but even he had to admit he was tired and nearing exhaustion. He was not sure he could carry Aeda to safety now.

"We are not far. If we run, we should be able to reach the men before we're caught again."

Aeda nodded and the Dalish quickly took up pace with Cassandra. Rawls matched Aeda's speed as they broke into a run, rather than fall to bring up the rear. Both elves swiveled their ears as they ran, attempting to watch each other's backs without the loss of momentum turning would bring.

Three pairs of boots found miraculous purchase along a worn path through the snow and ice. They climbed easily up towards what looked to be a well paved road, thankful for the lack of ice along the stone. Footing more secure they closed in on the dilapidated Temple remains in seconds.

"We're close! You can hear the fighting!"

"Who's fighting?" Aeda spared a burst of speed to match Cassandra, unable to hear her very clearly through the hiss of wind around her ears.

"Everyone, but you will see soon enough."

Cassandra lead the Dalish into the small contingent of men guarding the near by rift. Demons poured out of the scar in the sky without a stop in sight. Her men were not surrounded but they were matched almost man-for-man. They were holding their own, but barely. Sword and shield still drawn, the Seeker moved into battle with a frightening focus.

Rawls followed Cassandra's lead, picking off distracted enemies with mighty blows. Aeda behind him lifted a palm, curling her fingers upwards as if carving a sphere out of the very air around her. With a hiss her palm ignited and a ball of flame roared into life. Holding onto the center of the heat, Aeda began throwing splinters of fire at multiple targets as she passed. She was thrilled to see the demons burn just like everything else.

Cassandra lead them, cutting a path through the ruins towards a haze of green in the distance. The fighting seemed to slow in the direction they were headed, but they had alerted nearby demons that a threat was approaching. Rawls ducked and cursed as he heard an arrow sing just along his head. The projectile lodged itself firmly into the forehead of an approaching demon. Rawls had little time to pin-point the archer as the rift loomed closer.

"Quickly!"

Cassandra paused to wave Aeda and Rawls closer to the rift, eyes locked on the area behind them.

Rawls almost lost the grip on his weapon as a surge of heat ran through his arm from the mark. Beside him he heard Aeda bite back a groan, pressing her staff in to her side as she clutched the offending hand with the other. Aeda caught movement as a figure nearby darted between them, grabbing their hands in each of his own.

Hissing back pain both Rawls and Aeda watched, stunned, as the figure thrust their hands towards the rift looming just out of reach. Something seemed to pull from the center of their hands, a dim pain like life being sucked out through the mark. Dark green tendrils of smoke and the essence of the Fade itself began pouring from their open hands.

Aeda pinned her ears as a loud, ripping sound began to assault them. The energy from her hand--from Rawls'--began slamming into the energy of the rift. A loud sucking of air was followed by a shriek of demons waiting to emerge, and then finally a loud pop...

and the rift was gone.

Rawls jerked his hand away from the figure, pressing it to his chest. He flared his nostrils and grimaced into the air at the smell of ozone and sulfur. He let his eyes finally settle on the figure and felt hope spring in his chest. The figure was elvhen! The warrior Lavellan perked his ears forward but all hope was immediately extinguished as the elf turned, revealing a bare face.

Aeda too watched the elf intently, though she was not as immediately deterred by his lack of Dalish marking. An elf was an elf, hard as it was for many Dalish to understand. Their way of life was important, it was the way things were supposed to be, but it was a hard life and she knew it did not fit all who shared elvhen blood. She did not hold a personal vendetta against the city elves but she knew Rawls--like many Dalish--did not share her compassion.

"What did you do?" Aeda asked, glancing away from the bare-faced elf to her hand.

"I did nothing. The credit is yours." Solas answered, a small smile at the corners of his lips.

Rawls met Aeda's eyes from the other side of Solas. He sneered.

"At least the mark's good for something."

"The mark did this?" Aeda questioned, caught between fear and hope.

"Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky, also placed those marks upon your hands. I theorized that the marks might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake--and it seems I was correct." Solas watched keenly as the two Dalish regarded one another. He kept most of his thoughts to himself, but a smug expression flickered faintly across his features.

"Meaning they could also close the Breach itself." Cassandra interrupted, daring to hope, and joining trio of elves.

"Possibly." Solas' eyes moved from Cassandra to Rawls, where they hesitated a moment. He turned his head just slightly and met Aeda's eyes, folding his hands together in front of himself.

"It seems you hold the key to our salvation."

Rawls narrowed his eyes slightly. He opened his mouth to spit a reply when a voice from behind them stopped him.

"Good to know! Here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever." Varric grumbled, adjusting his gloves as he too approached the party.

Aeda startled slightly, having not known the dwarf was even there, focused as she had been on the magic of the rift. Rawls eyed Varric and noted immediately the ornate crossbow strapped to the dwarf's back. He must have been the one who'd taken down the demon just before they closed the rift. Rawls relaxed, calmer around the dwarf than the human and the bare-faced elf.

"Varric Tethras," the dwarf said pleasantly to both Aeda and Rawls, "rogue, storyteller and occasionally unwelcome tagalong." He titled his head just slightly and winked at Cassandra. Rawls watched the Seeker's lip curl in disgust. The Dalish smirked.

"Are you with the Chantry?" Aeda asked curiously. So far all the humans they had met wore armor to suggest they were fighting under that banner, at least in part. Aeda did not know much of human customs, but she did know more than most Dalish, and she had heard Cassandra addressed as Seeker. She knew that title tied in with the chantry.

Aeda's question was answered with a soft chuckle. She turned her head in time to see Solas grinning, turning his head away slightly with the laugh still on his lips.

"Was that a serious question?" The bald elf said, amused.

"Technically I'm a prisoner, like you two." Varric re-assured the elves, rubbing at his wrists as if to indicate soreness from recent bonds. His voice bordered on the dramatic, his eyes dropping to the side and then away.

"Tck." Cassandra sucked on the back of her teeth in agitation. "I brought you here to tell your story to the Divine. Clearly that is no longer necessary." Though agitated by Varric's antics, Cassandra's tone became softer and solemn.

"Yet, here I am." Varric said, shrugging with open hands. "Lucky for you, considering current events."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Cassandra barked.

"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker?" Varric said with a dry chuckle. "Your soldiers aren't in control any more. You need me."

Cassandra groaned, turning away and shaking her head.

Aeda and Rawls regarded each other once more, sidelong glances. A soft snort and another airy chuckle turned their attention back to the bare-faced elf.

"My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I am pleased you're both still with us."

"He means, 'I kept those marks from killing you while you slept.'" Varric supplied.

Rawls lifted his eyebrows, Aeda tilted her head to the side.

"You're a healer?" Rawls asked incredulously, giving Solas a clear look-over, unimpressed by what he saw.

"You seem to know a great deal about... all this." Aeda shot Rawls a look of warning. Her attention returned to Solas as Rawls threw his hands into the air with a grunt.

"Solas is an apostate, well-versed in such matters." Cassandra supplied.

"Technically all mages are now apostates, Cassandra." Solas corrected, his tone suggesting the barest hint of offense. "My travels have allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed, regardless of origin." His last words carried a bit of a bite as Solas tilted his head to glance at Rawls. The apostate lifted his eyebrows to make sure his words were understood.

"And when this is over? What then? When the shems go back to--" Rawls began, his words echoing the sneer on his face. He was silenced as Aeda reached over and slapped an open palm to his chest; a clear signal that he was speaking out of turn. She was technically in charge and the hit was meant to remind him of his place, not cause damage. She left her hand just under his collar bone as he warred with ignoring her, then settled and closed his mouth.

"Cassandra, you should know: the magic involved here is unlike any I have seen." Solas said, a smirk still softly on his face at Aeda and Rawls. "He is clearly no mage, though I find it hard to imagine any one mage possessing such power. She, on the other hand, has great skill but this is beyond Dalish teachings. Truly it is beyond anything I have encountered."

Aeda frowned, pulling her hand away from Rawls at Solas' words. She scowled just slightly, wondering if she should be offended at the flippant way with which Solas dismissed Dalish teachings. She could feel Rawls still stiff, tense beside her; he obviously took offense.

"Understood." Cassandra said, sounding tired. "We must get to the forward camp quickly." She continued, turning to look at each pair of eyes in turn. She nodded and turned to take the path further, Solas quickly at her heals.

"Well, Bianca's excited." Varric sighed, coming up beside Rawls, shaking his head.

The Dalish glanced at each other once more as Varric broke into a sprint to catch up with Cassandra and Solas. Rawls looked ready to suggest they flee once more, and Aeda shook her head before he could speak. She moved to join the others, ignoring Rawls' comment about Cassandra's apostate pet as he joined Aeda in a run.


	2. Chapter 2

Aeda stumbled and fell to her knees in the snow. The jolt through her legs was unpleasant, but she was clutching her hand to her chest too tightly to have tried to catch herself. She heard Rawls and Cassandra--just ahead of her on the path--quickly stop and double back, while Varric and Solas slowed. Rawls instantly crouched at her side, making sure to position himself to see the others and block their access to Aeda while she was down.

"We need to keep moving." Cassandra said delicately. "We are almost there."

"Give her a moment." Solas offered quietly, holding up his hand as he rested against his staff. "We could all use a second to catch our breath. You seem to forget, Seeker, that these two have only been conscious for a few hours. Before that they were in a dreamless slumber brought on by a rather large explosion."

"I have not forgotten." Cassandra bit back, though she made no move to urge further travel. The entire party was splattered in remnants and gore from various demons which had attempted to block their travel. The Seeker wanted to drain the last of the adrenaline from every fight, to take as much ground as possible, but stopping only for a second winded her.

Varric moved to sit on a nearby rock, adjusting his gloves and resting Bianca gently on the ground. He took in a slow breath and tried not to study the Dalish too obviously.

Aeda frowned as she glanced up to meet Rawls' gaze. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Let me see your hand." Rawls said quietly, not wanting to key anyone else in on his suspicions. After a second of hesitation Aeda offered her left hand, palm up, to Rawls.

The mage sighed and looked down as she heard the warrior sigh in disapproval. Aside from the alien mark across her palm, Aeda now sported an angry burn the length of her hand right under her fingers. The flesh was red, already peeling and blistering in some places.

"I knew you burned yourself." Rawls complained, picking up a small handful of snow. "You had to check the damned building." He closed his fist around the snow and then gently pressed it against the burn. Aeda recoiled and swallowed a groan but Rawls held fast.

"I thought I heard a voice. I had to make sure..."

"There were no shems inside?"

"A life is a life, Rawls. Treating them like they treat us isn't going to solve anything."

"Is everything all right?"

Both Dalish looked up quickly as Solas rounded to stand in front of them. He kept a respectful distance even as he crouched, ears turned towards the duo. Aeda lifted her ears in kind as Rawls tucked his against his head. Solas ignored him.

"Are you injured?"

"It's nothing." Aeda responded, glancing down at the melted snow in her hand. The burn still ached, still looked angry. Looking back up she caught the hint of a frown on Solas' face.

"He's a healer." Rawls sighed heavily, relaxing his ears. "Just let him see it." He stood slowly, keeping himself near to Aeda's side.

"Well, that isn't exactly how I'd classify my talents, but I am adept at healing minor injuries. At the very least I can aid with the pain." Solas regarded Rawls with a nod of thanks, holding his hand out for Aeda's.

The mage narrowed her eyes just slightly. She shifted her weight on her knees, moving into a seated position along her haunches. She cautiously extended her left hand, Solas's fingers slowly brushing over the backs of her knuckles as he attempted to get a better look. She kept her eyes on the apostate's softly changing expression as he studied the burn. He curled his thumb up to barely touch the edge of the burn and Aeda hissed and broke her stare.

"My apologies." Solas offered sincerely. He lifted his other hand and placed it to rest a few inches above Aeda's. Rawls glanced over his shoulder as a soft glow flickered from Solas' hand. Cassandra--moving to see better--sat down on the rock next to Varric, both of them curiously watching the exchange. Flowing forth from Solas' hand came a soft light which at times seemed white and at time seemed blue. It gently coated the burn. Excess light dripped like water between Aeda's fingers, vanishing before making contact with the snow. As the glow dimmed completely Aeda met Solas' eyes.

"Better?"

Aeda nodded, flexing her hand into a fist as Solas pulled his own palms away. Her hand was stiff, the skin taunt, but the pain was nearly gone remaining only enough to remind her not to do anything foolish. She had seen numerous healings performed by mages in her clan, but every time it surprised her. The magic of healing had never come to her, it evaded her every step of the way. She imagined the way she felt about healing was the way non-mages felt about magic. It was strange and frightening but breath taking and awe inspiring at the same time. Solas moved away and Rawls reached down to help Aeda up.

"Are we ready to move on?" Cassandra asked, standing quickly. Varric loaded Bianca, Rawls retrieved his large sword, and the group moved on.

The Seeker was correct in their distance to the final gate. The group managed to scale the rest of the hill without incident, and were soon faced with a small group of guards. The men--proudly wearing their Chantry colors--seemed confused as to whether they should be alarmed or stand down. They moved to intercept Cassandra as she stepped ahead of Rawls.

"We need to get through. Open the doors." She called confidently. The men looked at one another.

"You've got to be kidding me." Varric muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Seeker, are you sure you want to--"

"Did I stutter?" Cassandra shouted, stepping up to put herself toe-to-toe with the solider. "They are with me and I said /open the doors./"

"Right away, Seeker!" The soldier's companion chirped, unlocking the door in one swift movement. Cassandra met Solas' eyes over her shoulder and nodded the rest of the group to follow her through.

Rawls moved to walk close behind and to Aeda's side. As the First she was more of a diplomat, more of an ambassador--a job Rawls greatly enjoyed passing off onto someone else--but she was a capable mage. She had to be or the Keeper would not have chosen her. Rawls' proximity would have been rude and disrespectful had other Dalish been around to see them. He was too close on her heels, too focused on how she was perceived. His job was to intervene should an attack start, it was not solely for Aeda's protection. She was capable of that on her own. Rawls was extra, he was 'in case', he was a deterrent. The warrior wasn't sure if Solas--bare-faced as he was--knew this, but he certainly didn't enjoy the curious looks the apostate kept tossing his way.

Aeda tried to keep her focus on Cassandra but was finding that easier said than done. As the group started across the large bridge all eyes turned to them. There were soldiers--many of them injured--gathered in groups near tables, makeshift cots and chests. Each and every one stared blatantly at the Dalish. Their eyes were narrowed in suspicion both recent and ancient. They studied the blood and gore splashed on the elves and Aeda could almost hear their thoughts, wondering vehemently how much of that was demon blood and how much was the blood of the innocent, of their Most Holy.

Just as Aeda was finding her hands balling to fists, her anger starting to win out over her better judgement, she caught another look in the eyes of men: Fear. They were afraid of her and of what she could do, of what they assumed she had done. This fear was not the kind of fear which drove men to eradicate clans; this was the fear that sent men running in chaos through fields, unarmed and wild like a stampede of halla... and it was because of her.

Varric turned, glancing up at Solas, but whatever question he had was stopped by a pair of yelling voices caught eagerly on the wind. The dwarf side stepped to try and get a look at their destination from around Cassandra. He saw a fairly large tent near to a table cluttered with maps and books, and two faces--one decidedly more excited to see them than the other.

"And here they are." Barked the angry man behind the table, dressed in robes which practically screamed Chantry.

"You made it!"

Aeda turned her attention from a small fire to the fairly familiar voice. It was the hooded woman from her jail cell earlier in the day; and her excitement was sincere. Though she looked only at Cassandra, the mage got the impression the exclamation was for all five of them. As if to confirm her thoughts, Leliana looked to Aeda. The spy master lifted a hand as if in introduction.

"Chancellor Roderick, these are--" Leliana's soft voice was cut off by a bark from the older man. He waved dismissively and barely let his eyes linger on the Dalish.

"I know who they are!" Roderick declared, sneering and fighting the urge to spit on the ground in distaste. He glared at Cassandra as she dared bring the gore-covered savages closer.

"As Grand Chancellor I hereby order you to take this prisoners back into custody! They are to be escorted to Val Royeux immediately for execution." His eyes moved from Cassandra to Leliana, and his voice was a clear command. It was not a suggestion.

Rawls widened his stance slightly, though he did not reach for his weapon. He saw Aeda stretch out her fingers--preparation in her own way--and the bald elf as well seemed to shift.

"You dare give orders to me?" Cassandra growled back. "You are a glorified clerk! A bureaucrat!"

"And you are a thug..." Roderick hissed in a lower, calmer tone as he eyed Cassandra's state of battled and bloodied. "But a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry."

"We serve the Most Holy!" Leliana said sharply, narrowing her eyes.

"Justinia is dead!" Roderick shouted, bringing a strange silence in echo. Aeda, Rawls and Solas turned their ears to try and catch sounds behind them, but it appeared their little gathering was the center of attention. All other conversation on the bridge had stopped. Cassandra and Leliana regarded each other, and it seemed to Rawls as if they were deciding who would punch the man first.

"We need to quickly find her replacement or the chaos outside the Chantry will be nothing compared to the chaos within!"

Rawls closed his eyes, tilted back his head and let out a laugh. He stepped forward slightly and Aeda did not move to stop him.

"So, none of you are in charge here?" He asked incredulously, looking from one human to the next.

"You killed everyone who was in charge!" Roderick roared, leaning onto the table with one hand and wagging a finger at Rawls and Aeda. The warrior lifted his eyebrows. Aeda frowned and set her ears along the sides of her head.

Cassandra stepped forward, meeting Aeda's eyes and moving to stand across from Roderick. Her expression was serious.

"Call a retreat, Seeker." Roderick sighed, all the fight suddenly drained from him. "Our position here is hopeless."

"I have seen worse odds." Leliana said with what Aeda thought might have been a smirk.

"We can stop all of this before it is too late." Cassandra tried to appeal to Roderick, her voice almost gentle.

"How?" Roderick said, a split of incredulous and disbelieving. "We don't have the man power, the weapons or the know-how to make it to the Temple. Not even you and all your soldiers could hope to do anything with demons falling from the sky."

"But we must make it to the Temple, it is the quickest route!"

"Certainly not the safest." Leliana replied quietly, looking at Cassandra. "We can send our forces through as a distraction while we go through the mountain pass." The spy master turned and indicated the paths in question. The group behind Cassandra turned their attention to the road ahead. Rawls narrowed his eyes as he did not like the options either path offered. Aeda frowned, instinctively balling her left hand into a fist as she stared at the Breach, bigger and more frightening so close.

"Leliana, we lost contact with an entire squad on that path. It is too risky." Cassandra shook her head.

"Listen to me," Roderick pleaded, "abandon this foolishness before more lives are lost."

As if echoing the argument--though in favor of whom was unclear--the Breach spasmed, sending crackles of green energy through the sky. The veins of Fade energy pulsed and squirmed, widening it's magical maw. Rawls and Aeda reacted immediately. Rawls pulled his hand to his chest as Aeda stumbled and fell to her knees. Everyone on the bridge watched as their hands were engulfed in a soft green glimmer, illuminating the bridge as the mark cut deeper into elvhen flesh. As the Breach and the marks quieted, Varric politely helped Aeda to her feet.

"How would you proceed?" Cassandra asked, turning to look at the Dalish. Both sets of ears rose almost comically, standing nearly vertical.

"/Now/ you're interested in what we think?" Rawls barked.

"You have the mark." Solas said, nodding from one Dalish to the other.

"And it is you that we must keep alive." Cassandra spat back. She sighed and attempted to regain control. "I know this hasn't been... easy for you..."

"You certainly have not helped that."

"Rawls, hush."

"But regardless, we all know what must be done. We must attempt to close the Breach. If that thing spreads, if it grows then nothing matters. Chantry, Dalish, Ravaini, Avvar, Qunari--none of that matters. I'm..." She sighed again. "I'm trying to give you some say in the matter. We need to make sure you both reach the Breach alive and since we cannot seem to reach an agreement on our own... how do you think we can best protect you?"

Rawls turned to look at Aeda, as both Dalish still remained rather stunned.

_"What do you think?"_

_"You're the First."_ Rawls answered flippantly, keeping his voice low.

 _"Yes. I am. And I'm asking for your input."_ Aeda lifted her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest. She saw Rawls size her up for a moment. He sighed and gestured to the mountain.

_"We go with the soldiers. A herd is strongest when it's together, and right now--we're the herd. If we were hunting game or trying to get the drop on someone then splitting up would be the best option... but we're not. We're running. We have no idea what this... thing, these demons are really capable of, do we?"_

_"But smaller targets are harder to hit."_

_"If we do split up and it attacks us, we've got no defenses and we're practically in the open. Together we're likely to face a harder attack--maybe lose more forces--but they aren't our forces, and you and I will be safer in a large group."_

_"Thank you."_ Aeda tipped her head slightly, a movement Rawls mimiced even if he was not entirely sincere. Aeda turned to face Cassandra, Leliana and Roderick.

"Charging with the soldiers seems like the safest option." Aeda said with practiced confidence.

"It will take longer that way. More time for the demons to attack. More--"

"You asked our opinion and you got it." Rawls barked. "Either way Aeda and I might not survive for you stupid trial."

"Whatever happens, happens now." Aeda said darkly.

Cassandra nodded and turned to Leliana.

"Bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone." He words were clearly heavy. She turned and the party began to follow her out.

"On your head be the consequences, Seeker." Roderick bit venomously as Cassandra walked past him. She stiffened rather noticeably but her steps never faltered. With Varric and Solas bringing up the rear, the group moved forward. Their trek up the mountain pass was soon filled with human scouts and soldiers, moving in on all sides, armed and ready.

Aeda was not sure if she felt safer or more in danger surrounded by human forces. A quick check-in with Rawls confirmed her suspicions that she, Rawls, Solas and Varric were the only non-humans in sight. She didn't like the way that made her feel, and she could tell it was squirming under Rawls' skin as well. They were easily placed in the center of the large group and Aeda was almost impressed by how nearly accidental it seemed. It was certainly more like they were attempting to protect them than to surround them, but she still felt cornered.

She slowed her pace to walk next to Rawls, who preferred bringing up the rear when with a large group. He did not like the feeling of being walled in by people, let alone humans. The warrior gave her a brief look as she moved to his side, but his eyes were soon back on the humans to his rear and his other shoulder. Aeda reached over gently and touched the back of his right hand with her left. He looked expectantly to her.

Rawls frowned slightly as Aeda pointed her ears towards him, deliberately holding his gaze. She kept up pace with him well--a feat considering neither of them were looking down--as he turned his ears towards her in kind. It was a silent encouragement; an acknowledgement that she understood his feelings, she knew his discomfort, and that together they could overcome the odds. After a second Aeda blinked, long and slow, and Rawls looked away with a soft nod.

Solas watched the exchange keenly, eyebrows lifted ever so slightly. His own ears moved very little, though mostly due to his own conscious effort. Varric seemed preoccupied with his own problems, though not unkindly so. The dwarf simply seemed lost in thought and moving on autopilot. All Solas knew about the rogue were tales of involvement in some kind of uprising in Kirkwall, a place unfamiliar to the apostate. He assumed Varric had a lot to occupy his thoughts if the tales he'd heard about said catastrophe were true in any form.

Cassandra kept her eyes forward, ever focused. She heard footsteps behind her, quickly approaching, and she recognized the sound. They were not average foot falls, heavy and distracted... they were purposefully loud. It was the sound of someone used to sneaking around, someone who rarely wanted to announce their presence, now attempting to do just that. The Seeker barely blinked as Leliana moved up beside her.

"She seems to have him under control." The spymaster said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Indeed. It is a good thing for all of us. I honestly did not know what we were going to do with him until the trial."

"And she seems incredibly reasonable." Leliana continued, smirking with an air of smugness around her. "Not at all like the Dalish stereotypes."

"Yes, yes." Cassandra sighed. "You were right. I should have listened to you and not to old superstitions and even older grudges."

"I have had dealings with the Dalish, mostly pleasant ones at that."

"As you do love to remind me." Cassandra cracked the smallest of smiles, looking over at her companion. The women shared a knowing smirk, which soon faded as a crackle up ahead reminded them of recent history and the looming future. They had barely enough time to look to each other once more for encouragement as two large rifts suddenly popped into life. If the Breach was sentient in any way... it knew they were coming.

"FORWARD!" Cassandra shouted, hoisting her broad sword into the air with one hand. Her battle cry was easily rallied, shouted back at her with the force of a hundred men. They turned into a blur beside her as she freed her shield and followed her own order.

Rawls hunched over, and poured himself forward like the first melt of spring. He darted in between the larger--and slightly more padded--human soldiers to come face-to-face with a ring of demons. Once more his only means of identification were striking physical features, he knew not what the demons stood for nor what they represented. They were mutated creatures. Creatures that did not belong outside of the Fade; creatures that intended to do harm. He intended to stop them.

Aeda swirled her staff through the air, rushing forward but keeping a fair distance. She noted only one other mage--Solas--amongst the group and felt a churning in her stomach. Things had been changing in the human world but she knew how they treated their mages. She knew it was irrational to suspect any of the humans near her were judging her currently--for her race or her specific talents--but it was a hard feeling to shake. She felt her hand nearly mold to the staff, joining energy with the foci crystal near the end, and her mind calmed. There would be time later for doubt but for now there was a need for her gifts.

Varric weaved in and out of a current of men and women as he strove to find slightly higher ground. Sure he could take aim at demons from where he stood, but he'd get a much better shot if he was at least at eye level with the Fade-bastards. He hopped up onto a small rock outcropping--one of the only ones not slathered in ice--and took to one knee. He pulled Bianca from his back, whispering words of soft encouragement as he loaded an arrow. He waited until he saw an opening--a big green bastard with both hands lifted--and fired.

Leliana felt the wind slapping at her face as she moved. All her weight balanced on the balls of her feet as she slid in between demons like an ice-dancer. The ground offered no resistance, the snow provided no barrier. Her twin blades cut through hide she'd long ago become familiar with, leaving long weeping cuts in their wake. Alien blood spilled all around her, vomiting onto the pure white snow and reminding her of years gone by, of friends long lost and forgotten.

Cassandra pressed all her weight onto her blade as the armored demon pushed back. She watched the edge of her steel push desperately against flesh like scales on a dragon, bending and cracking but not slicing; not yet. Her eyes met the pits in the center of the demon's face and it raged against her. She could not stop her lips from curling slightly. For all the demon's power and for all their tricks, she had yet to meet one that could match her in wit. With a shout she shifted her weight and slid the blade forward and down at an angle. The weapon ripped down and into flesh like butter and left the demon howling.

Conflicted as he was considering current circumstances, Solas was easily able to lose himself to the thrill of battle knowing it was a life or death situation. It gave him very litle time to think on the ramifications of any of his actions... and that was how he liked it. He danced across the snow well out of reach of the Fade fiends, bare feet finding no cold in the snow. His toes curled slightly as he spun and whipped his staff around like water between his hands. He struck at strategic weak points, lowering defenses just in time for allies to make detrimental hits.

Just as the demons seemed under control, just as it seemed the tide was turning in their favor, both rifts pulsed. New waves of demons poured through and the fight began anew. Rawls quickly tore through demons with a wild fury unmatched on the field; the soldiers had training and technique, but the Dalish had instinct and raw anger. Aeda's staff was a blur of motion, fire lit up the battlefield and lightning leap-frogged from demon to demon.

Through the roar of battle Aeda could almost hear a whispering; a voice in her ear strong enough to draw her attention. Something in her gut told her to listen and trust the voice. She moved her gaze towards the rift feet above her and her left hand pulsed hard. She took in a breath, slammed her staff into the ground and thrust her hand into the air. The rift vibrated and shimmered in the air like a mirage. She turned her body sideways slightly and stretched out her fingers as if reaching for the rift. It shuddered and recoiled from her onslaught.

As if she had lit a beacon, the demons spawned by the rift all turned to her. She had their complete and undivided attention. They ignored their current adversaries and moved towards her with purpose. Her arm began to glow green, trickling down from her palm like water. The air above her rippled with focused intent.

Cassandra turned as two demons darted past her. Wide eyed and confused the Seeker turned to watch them descend upon Aeda... Aeda who was locked firmly in a staring contest with the rift. The elf was not paying attention--or was unable to draw her eyes away from the rift--and was an open target. Cassandra was instantly on the move. She overcame the demons and spun, hoisting her shield and thrust herself between Aeda and the creatures of the Fade. They roared at her--joined by their brethren--and Cassandra roared back. As she lunged for an attack she felt swords and arrows follow her, backed by soldiers who had been keyed in to the trouble by her movements.

Rawls felt the palm of his left hand burning against the hilt of his sword. He sneered in response and tried to ignore it but the pain was insistent. He carved through the center of a demon and turned to glance over his shoulder. The rift above him fluctuated again and his hand responded with a shock of pain. A quick look around the battle field told him the last wave his rift had sent out had been dispatched completely. The rift above him gave a crack like a tree about to fall and he thrust his hand into the air. He managed to bite back a shout as the mark on his palm seemed to pull energy from his very heart and soul. He had no magic to feed it and thus it had to draw energy from somewhere.

Varric lowered Bianca, staring at the marvel before him. Both Rawls and Aeda were nearly glowing, hands outstretched almost in triumph at the pulsing, grotesque rifts. Aeda seemed lost in the moment and her body looked light as air almost as if she was going to float away at any second. Rawls looked as if he had buried his feet into the ground, widened his stance and was pulling against some unseen force attempting to uproot him. The loud sucking sound was doubled as the rifts caved in on themselves, both heaving loud pops as they vanished and left the sky whole.

Solas set his staff on the ground, leaning on it slightly as a wave of relief passed over the fighters. They looked each other over and turned to help what fallen brethren they could. The losses were few but they were still heavy for the men attempting to wake their comrades. They knelt to offer quick prayers as Solas moved through them.

Aeda rubbed her head, feeling a strange sense of weightlessness, and was grounded immediately as a hand grasped her upper arm. She turned expectantly to Rawls, who nodded at her in lieu of asking outright if she was all right. She nodded back and he released her arm. They both looked towards the sky.

"Sealed, as before." Solas said, almost breathless, as he approached them. He had a strange smile on his face. "You're becoming quite proficient at this." He nodded at Aeda.

Rawls glanced down at his left hand, opening and closing a fist tightly. He felt his palm hum with energy. He turned his head and caught Aeda studying her mark in the same way.

"It's... loud." Rawls said begrudgingly. "But it's not... a sound I hear with my ears. I--ugh. Fade shit."

"I understand, Rawls." Aeda said quietly. "That's what magic is like."

"No wonder you never hear a word I say." Rawls said, a bit of humor in his voice as his breath returned. Aeda passed him a soft smirk.

"Good job, you two. Now, let's hope it works on the big one." Varric chuckled, joining the group and adjusting his gloves.

"Lady Cassandra!"

The group turned their heads as another human approached them. This man carried himself as if he weighed more than he appeared. He was clearly a military man. Rawls' hands moved towards his weapons, his body tensed. He felt Aeda eyeing the man cautiously. Cassandra moved to intercept the blond man.

"You closed the rift, just like before. Well done!"

Aeda and Rawls shared a look. Of course he thought it was Cassandra's work--couldn't possibly be the work of the elves or the dwarf in her company.

"Do not congratulate me, Commander." Cassandra said with a heavy sigh, turning to look at the group. "This was their doing." She lifted a hand and indicated clearly to Rawls and Aeda. The Dalish straightened as the Commander turned his attention to them.

"Was it?" Cullen said, trying to keep his voice level. "I hope they're right about you. We've lost a lot of good people getting you here." His voice was dark, accusatory. Rawls snorted and looked away, crossing his arms over his chest. Aeda narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Like it or not, it's clear we're your only hope at closing the Breach." Aeda snipped with a snarl that seemed more like Rawls than herself.

"We'll see soon enough." Cullen growled, eyeing the mage up and down under the threatening stare of Rawls at her back. Cullen moved to stand next to Cassandra.

"The way to the temple should be clear. Leliana is going to try and meet you there." He pointed up the path ahead. Cassandra nodded.

"Then we'd best move quickly." The Seeker said, more of an order than a statement. She nodded forward and the group started slowly.

"Buy us as much time as you can, Commander." The humans shared a nod.

"Maker watch over you," Cullen prayed darkly, eyes again moving towards Aeda and Rawls, "for all our sake's." He added.

Rawls fought back the urge to tackle the Commander to the ground. He narrowed green eyes as the man hurried into the field. Rawls clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth as the man knelt to help a wounded man to his feet, then struggled with him up out of the debris.

The group--headed by Cassandra--moved forward. The Seeker paused as she came to a drop but Rawls did not share her caution. Aeda made a soft grunt of disapproval as Rawls leapt off the edge of what remained of the bridge onto the cobblestone ruins below. He took up point as the rest of the group followed him.

Varric frowned at the drop. It wasn't impossible, and he wasn't likely to break anything, but he wondered if maybe it was too much to ask for the lot of them to consider not everyone in their little party was blessed with height? He sighed and stepped off the floor, stumbling and nearly falling on his face below. He felt a pair of arms grab his shoulders, steady him and stop his forward motion. He turned over his shoulder to meet the dark eyes of Cassandra. He lifted his eyebrows and the Seeker quickly removed her hands, as if he had burned her. He offered a chuckle as she strode away.

Rawls slowed his pace until Aeda was next to him. Both elves cast their glance towards the Breach, looming now closer than ever. Rawls pinned his ears back as Aeda's swung forward to listen to something only she could hear.

"It's... a lot bigger up close." Aeda said quietly, for only Rawls to hear.

"Doesn't mean anything." Rawls snorted. "Maybe a longer fight, but we've been barely winded until now. It's nothing we can't handle."

"I thought you'd learned your lesson, Rawls." Aeda sighed, looking at him sidelong. "Confidence in an untested situation is likely to get you killed."

Rawls' dropped his ears to a scolded, angry position almost horizontal out from his head. Aeda picked up her pace and was ahead of him shortly after.

The temple ruins were dotted with bodies; some fresh and some petrified into statues, still aflame and posed in terror. The Dalish tried to recall what the temple had looked like but nothing came to them. They had only visited a mere few days before, when the temple was full, but now all they knew was ruin and rubble. Not even seeing half-formed archways and remnants of higher levels could jog their memory. It was as if the temple had always been debris to them. The stone glinted green and made it hard to keep their gaze down; it was drawn ever again upwards towards the hole in the sky.

The hole they were now being counted on to fix.

"The Temple of Sacred Ashes."

Aeda started, pulled out of her own thoughts as Solas moved up next to her. She hadn't even heard him approach. Glancing over her shoulder she noted Rawls keeping pace with Varric, talking quietly.

"What's left of it." Aeda said, rubbing a temple at the headache forming there. "I keep trying to remember what it looked like... before."

"Don't strain yourself." Solas advised softly. "You're under tremendous strain as it is. There will be plenty of time to piece together this puzzle."

"After the immediate danger has passed." Cassandra insisted, joining the duo in the lead. "That is where you walked out of the Fade and our soldiers found you. They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was."

The group quieted as they moved closer together, walking into the remainder of a corridor. Aeda's face curled into a frown, eyebrows knitting together as she lowered her eyes to her feet. This corridor was littered with stone bodies, flames still licking at anything they could feed on. The corridor seemed to have been blasted directly from the explosion, the heat was still pressing.

Rawls' eyes widened as they turned out of the corridor. Down in front of them, in an area that appeared to once have been a courtyard, lay the rift. It mostly resembled the others... in all but size. It roared in his ears without making a sound, like a storm directly over head. He could feel the energy moving through him, alien and unwanted. He watched as Aeda, just a few feet in front of him, stopped to drink it in.

"The Breach is a long way up..." Varric muttered, circling the small area around himself and Rawls.

Rawls stepped in front of Aeda cautiously, pulling the group closer to a small railing that still stood erect before them. He laid a hand on the heated metal and glanced down.

"You made it! Thank the Maker!" Leliana shouted, startling members of Cassandra's group. She jogged ahead of her men, through the rest of the corridor to join the Seeker at the rail.

"Leliana, have your men take up positions around the temple." Cassandra said, turning and nodding to Leliana. The Left Hand nodded to the Right, and Leliana turned to follow orders. The Seeker slowly moved to Aeda's side.

"This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?"

Aeda turned to Cassandra, Rawls glanced over his shoulder at them.

"I'll try, but I don't know if I can reach that, much less close it." Aeda said, tilting her head to look up and stress her point.

"This rift was the first. Seal it and we most likely seal the Breach." Solas offered, indicating the large, pulsing destination before them.

"Then let us find a way down." Cassandra turned to catch Rawls' eyes. "Carefully."

The Dalish narrowed his eyes. He watched as the group turned to try and figure out another path down. He sighed and stepped up onto the railing.

"Rawls!" Aeda shouted, moving to grab him, but she was too late. Rawls dropped over the railing and tumbled onto the platform below.

"He's gonna get himself killed before he even gets a chance to try closing that thing." Varric muttered, approaching the rail and looking down. Cassandra sighed heavily.

"He is... reckless."

"It's not entirely unfounded." Aeda admitted softly, moving up onto the rail herself. "Rawls can usually get the task accomplished, even if his methods aren't..."

"The most logical?" Cassandra provided eyeing the railing herself.

Aeda gave a shrug and followed Rawls down. Her landing was a touch softer, and she was quickly jogging to catch up to Rawls. He flicked an ear in her direction as he heard her approach, and the others drop down themselves in their wake. She moved to reprimand him when a voice seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.

"Now is the moment of our victory."

Rawls and Aeda looked to one another, ears perked high and stiff. Wide eyes on wide eyes and they both realized simultaneously... they'd heard this before.

"Bring forth the sacrifice." The voice continued.

"What are we hearing?" Cassandra whispered, thinly veiled fear in her voice. She led Solas and Varric slowly towards where the Dalish had stopped. All of them were now looking towards the Breach. If anything was responsible for disembodied voices... it was that.

"Keep the sacrifice still."

"Someone... help me!"

Aeda winced, Rawls too seemed to balk away from the voice. Between them Cassandra shoved through, almost as if trying to move past them to something ahead. She paused, a hand on each of their upper arms.

"That is the voice of Divine Justinia." The Seeker pulled her hands off the Dalish--ignoring Rawls' glare--and took a few more steps ahead of them.

"I don't like the look of this place." Varric said quietly, not wanting to interrupt Cassandra's moment. Solas and Rawls looked to the dwarf, both of them incredulous.

"Who would?"

"No, I mean..." Varric turned and indicated a wall of red stone. Solas' mouth drew thin but Rawls remained confused.

"I'm... I don't understand." Rawls admitted with a huff, throwing his arms into the air.

"That's /red/ Lyrium." Varric explained. "It's bad. Real bad. Don't touch the stuff."

"Don't--don't touch it?" Rawls growled, looking around. "It's /everywhere/." He glanced down and slowly slid his half-boot backwards, toes nearly coming into contact with a shard of red bleeding through the ground.

"Well, don't linger at least. I've seen it do some crazy shit." Varric grumbled, patting Rawls on the arm as he walked by.

"I'm not a mage, dwarf. I doubt it'll do much."

"You don't have to be a mage to be affected, da'len." Solas said quietly, as if frightened he would wake something beneath them. He frowned at the dark look Rawls gave him.

"Da'len?" Rawls echoed, itching to show the bare-faced elf how very /not/ da'len he was.

"What's going on here?"

The impending fight was put on hold as Rawls heard Aeda's voice. He pinned his ears and turned, ready to out Solas as a threat... when he realized Aeda was not looking at him. She was not even aware he had been in Solas' face. She was up ahead, staring at the rift with Cassandra. The later of whom was slowly looking down at the Dalish.

"That was... your voice?" Cassandra breathed. "Most Holy called out to you, but..."

A loud crack from the rift caused the group to stumble backwards and reach for their weapons. Rawls moved to Aeda's side, all eyes on the rift. Green stone like peridot shifted and grinded against itself, reshaping the rift loudly. The noise echoed in their ears, sharp and abrasive. The fog that seemed to drip from the rift itself began to clear and in front of them in the sky--like pictures formed by clouds--a scene began to replay.

Cassandra gasped. A large, shadowy figure stood tall in front of Divine Justinia. Her arms were clearly bound though no ropes could be seen. She struggled against whatever contained her.

"Someone help me!" The Divine shouted again, this time her fear plainly written on her face as in her words. Through the shadows behind her Rawls and Aeda--ghostly apparitions of themselves--ran into the image. Aeda's eyes immediately fell on the Divine, as Rawls seemed more focused on their surroundings.

"What's going on here?" Aeda asked, her tone soft and nearly horrified.

"Run while you can!" The Divine shouted back, eyes darting from the Dalish to the large shadowy figure. "Warn them!"

"We have an intruder." The shadowy figure growled. A large hand lifted and pointed. "Slay the elves."

The surreal scene was quickly enveloped on a burst of light from the rift, shifting itself again as if uncomfortable half-formed in the sky. The group turned, shielding their eyes from the sudden blinding glow. As they lowered their arms they found themselves staring at the rift, no more images... no more shadowy figures. Aeda inched forward.

"You /were/ there!" Cassandra shouted accusingly. "Who attacked? And the Divine, is she...? Was this vision true? What are we seeing?" She fired off, moving to stare down Aeda. Solas frowned and walked closer to the rift, joined by Varric. Rawls found he wanted to join them--eager to put an end to all of this nonsense--but he paused at Aeda's shoulder, eyeing Cassandra in warning.

"I don't remember!" Aeda shouted, balling her hands into fists.

"It's a memory, from the fade. Pieces of one, in any case." Solas said, ears perked towards the women. "The fade is bleeding through, latching onto whatever it can. It... must recognize Aeda, Rawls. It's trying to connect with them, by showing them... something."

Cassandra sneered, her expression matched by Aeda. Rawls moved away.

"Then let's close it. I'm not eager to have it... connect with me any more than it already has." The warrior looked down as the mark on his hand flared.

"I believe it is closed, this rift, albeit temporarily." Solas frowned heavily, ears sliding back along his bald head.

"Closed?" Cassandra parroted. "But--if that is the case then how are they to seal the Breach? How...?"

"I believe," Solas interrupted, holding up a hand, "that with the marks we can fix this. We must first re-open this rift, and then seal it properly. However that kind of energy is bound to attract attention." He glanced from one member of their small party to the next, watching realization hit them all.

"That means demons." Cassandra clarified, voice steely with resolve. "Stand ready!"

Aeda frowned as Cassandra shouted. It had seemed--up until that moment--like a strange sense of calm, but the Seeker yelling broke the air. Aeda was reminded of the men surrounding them, the soldiers ready to fight. Her ears perked as she watched these men take up positions. Swords were drawn, shields lifted, arrows notched and bows pulled at the ready. Aeda turned her head as Rawls prepared his weapon, looking to her.

"I think your mark alone will suffice to open this rift." Solas said calmly, as if he were not about to face a possible army of demons. He moved beside Aeda and nodded to her, then glanced up at the rift.

"Imagine as you lift your hand, connecting, touching the rift... and then pull free the barrier."

Aeda took a slow breath. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cassandra nod, readying her stance for combat. The Dalish took one last look at the group, and lifted her hand to face her palm at the still shifting rift.


	3. Chapter 3

Varric's eyes widened until they hurt. To say the reaction was instantaneous would have been an understatement. It seemed Aeda needed only to think about lifting her hand and the rift responded. Like a hunter recalling well-trained dogs, the beacon on the Dalish's hand spurred the rift into action. It groaned and shrieked and shifted and ate the sky, bubbling and gurgling like a man poisoned.

All around him Varric could hear, could see the surviving men and women readying themselves. Trying to ready themselves. Thanks to Kirkwall and a few much missed friends, Varric had a better understanding of what was going on than most dwarves... than most non-mages in general, he mused. He knew what kinds of terror the Fade was likely to bring up. He knew what horrors magic could birth.

Varric widened his stance and aimed at the pulsing rift. Bianca felt heavy in his hands, a welcome weight.

Cassandra and Rawls barely blinked, focused on the rift. Rawls took up position just behind Cassandra, but a step in front of her men. She was clearly trained to take the brunt of the foe's attention while Rawls knew he was better at damaging an enemy than soaking up it's wrath. In spite of himself the human's presence did bolster his confidence. If she could keep whatever came from the rift focused on her, Rawls knew he could take it down.

Cassandra tried not to focus on the feeling of the Dalish directly behind her. His weapon drawn and his intentions... gray. Surely he would focus on whatever the rift brought forth, but how careful he would be during the fight remained to be seen. He would soon have a great opportunity to down Cassandra and her men if he so chose. The Seeker frowned at old grudges thinking thoughts for her but she still could not shake the concern. Her hands tightened on sword and shield.

Solas attempted to ground himself--both physically and mentally--but the earth at his feet shuddered, the sky crackled and he was lit with energy. His emotions were as unstable as the rift itself; warring between excitement and concern and guilt and anger. All the emotions that carried men to battle or to insanity. His ears slid slowly to pin against the sides of his bare head, straining muscles he rarely used. Ears were a gateway into deeper thoughts, deeper emotions, and he had long ago mastered the art of hiding such things.

He turned his head to watch Aeda, eyes locked onto the outline of her against a familiar green. Her posture was sure, confident, but her weight was unbalanced and her center of gravity poised to run. Not that she was cowardly--quite the opposite, he seemed sure--but that failure was still a possibility in her mind. Her Dalish upbringing had readied her for flight and fight, but the magic in her veins needed distance and urged run whenever the options arose.

Aeda let her mind lock onto the feeling in her hand. The magic within her swirled at the base of her palm like she imagined it did around the foci of a staff. Connecting with the rift was frighteningly easy. The mark wanted the rift and the rift eagerly accepted the invitation. They pulled at each other in a way that wasn't entirely painful but was certainly something other than pleasant. Aeda felt as if she were a piece caught between them.

Her shoulder began to ache and she let her fingers curl, feeling an invisible hold within her grasp. Listening to the words Solas had spoken the Dalish First quickly closed her hand and pulled with everything she had. A roaring filled her ears as she stumbled but brought her staff up to the ready. Her mark burned as she turned her hand away from the rift, furious at being denied a reunion.

As if understanding the threat before it and what was at stake, the rift did not hold back. The Fade sent forth a willing, eager and formidable ambassador. The demon stood at least double the height of the tallest human on the battlefield. It was built like an overlarge dwarf--sturdy of frame and wide of torso--with skin like armored scales. The reptilian head surveyed the fighters and let loose another bowel-shuddering howl.

The opposition reacted with a snap of movement. Archers adjusted their aim and filled the sky with arrows. Cassandra and a few other shield-wielding humans slammed their weapons against their shields and bellowed back at the demon. Rawls and the other combatants rushed forward to meet their foe. Weapons halted only a second before unleashing a torrent of blows at the creature's thighs--the highest point anyone could reach.

From just out of meelee Solas and Aeda joined the battle, whipping their staves around them as if performing instead of fighting for the lives of their companions. Solas adjusted his fighting style to compliment Aeda's and drive more powerful spells home. He waited until she thrust forward with lightning, licking at the demon's face as it splashed against his chest. Solas followed immediately with a barrage of energy strikingly similar in color to that of the fade.

It was quickly becoming apparent to Rawls that very little was damaging the creature. His hits all connected but little blood was spilled. Arrows landed and sunk but barely seemed to scratch the surface. The same could not be said for the humans. Two had been felled already and after tripping over one Rawls was certain he--at least--was dead. They needed a new strategy; they needed to know more about their foe. They didn't have time to stop and research and rethink.

Rawls moved backwards, disengaging in an exaggerated way. He gripped his weapon in one hand, pointed down, and began waving the other in the air to draw Aeda's attention. Once he was sure he had it he nodded to make sure she was watching. He lifted a hand and indicated his eyes with two fingers. He turned the fingers out and folded one to point at Aeda, then make a small circle in the air in front of him.

Aeda frowned and nodded grimly to Rawls, watching as he moved back in towards the demon. They couldn't hit it. They were in trouble and they needed another view, another opinion another option. They could not move away to form a new strategy, Aeda would have to figure it out and clue them in. She perked her ears towards the demon, her staff still for a second.

"What's wrong?" Solas called, glancing over his shoulder.

"They can't hit it!" Aeda called back. "Nothing we do is having any effect."

"I was afraid of that." Solas sighed, darting up the hill of rubble slightly to be a touch closer to Aeda.

"Afraid of what exactly?"

"The rift is open now and it's bolstering the demon's armor. It's strengthening him, constantly pouring out energy that he can use to keep up his defenses or strike a particularly devastating blow." Solas and Aeda both turned to watch the rift, humming and pulsing nearby.

"What can we do? I can't seal it like this! It's putting out far too much magic."

"You're right. Sealing it would be impossible at the present... however I think we can put a dampener on it, at least temporarily." Solas glanced to the demon, roaring down at Cassandra. "It might buy them a few moments of vulnerability."

"Will it be enough?"

"I'm not sure. I am only marginally more prepared than the rest of you." Solas seemed to almost grin at this, but the expression was lost to circumstances. He pointed to the rift. "Aim at the rift, fire a few shots... just long enough to disrupt it's power. Once it's disrupted you should be able to put up a temporary barrier."

Aeda nodded and took a slow breath. A shout from below caused Solas to turn, ears towards the fight. Aeda was worried but she had a new job, a new task and she could not falter. She stared down the rift as if it had turned to look at her. She could feel it reaching out to the mark as she lifted her hand. She was simultaneously terrified and intrigued that so much of the rift and all of the magic related seemed so sentient.

Cassandra stumbled backwards from the force of the demon's fist against her shield. She swung her short sword across and braced the forearm of her sword arm against her shield as well, fearing the strength of one alone might not be enough. She felt the power shove her backwards, boot scraping against what was once holy ground. She heard the demon almost chuckle, a few huffs of breath at her expense. She glanced up from behind the protection of her shield.

Varric cursed as the beast lifted both hands, fisting them together in preparation for a mighty blow. It didn't look good, in fact it looked damned depressing. Four men lay at the demon's wake; two of them would certainly not be rising again, and a third was attempting to drag himself out of harm's way. The demon's skin was peppered with arrows and small gashes but it didn't seem phased in the slightest. At this rate they were all goners.

Rawls spat an old elvhen curse as his blade bounced back at him and took him off-balance. He stumbled and regained his footing, pinning back his ears. As if responding to his curses, the demon suddenly faltered. Rawls watched--surprised as the rest of them--as the demon suddenly collapsed to one knee, bent double and huffing, panting as if it could not get enough air. The secondary hesitation was broken by a sharp noise as all the attackers re-doubled their efforts.

Rawls swung and felt his blade make a deep connection with the demon's back. He pulled through and watched blood coat his blade and pour down the demon's back. The mark in his hand pulsed painfully and he turned to the rift. It seemed to be shrinking back, sucking in on itself and writhing. He glanced only temporarily to Aeda before understanding what must have happened. He sunk his blade twice more into the demon before the rift strengthened it once more.

By the fourth time the demon fell Varric was nearly out of arrows and certainly out of breath. Whatever Aeda and Solas had done to the rift was turning the tide of the battle, but slowly. For every five minutes they were allotted to rip into the beast unbolstered, they had to sustain themselves for ten minutes in between. They had lost at three more men but at least the demon finally seemed to be showing signs of wear.

Varric scrambled to retrieve another bow for Bianca as the demon started to rise. He watched Rawls behind the creature as the Dalish swung his sword, but he had miscalculated. The weapon struck the armored back and bounced off.

It was too hard a hit and Rawls was too spent to counter the rebuttal and the weapon flew from his hands. He stood for a second, dumbfounded, before his reckless nature took over. He bent down and quickly retrieved a small dagger from a fallen man. He shoved the blade into his mouth for safe keeping before running full-tilt at the demon. He launched himself into the air and stretched out his hands, easily grabbing two thick arrows embedded in the demon's shoulders. Rawls pulled himself up along the demon by the path of arrows. He pulled himself up onto the beast's shoulders and into the demon's attention.

Cassandra stepped backwards and glanced up in disbelief as Rawls appeared clinging to the demon's shoulders. It's attention was clearly pulled away from the Seeker as it turned it's head back and forth, and reached up to try and swat Rawls away like an insect. Unfortunately for the demon it was far too heavily armored to reach it's neck, where the Dalish hung on for his life. Cassandra sneered and nodded at Rawls as their eyes met.

"Here!" The Seeker bellowed, slamming her sword into her shield and drawing forth the last of her energy.

Aeda stumbled forward, Solas' hand on her arm the only thing from preventing her from tumbling head-first off their hill of rubble. She gripped her staff tightly and sucked in a breath. The smaller demons spawned by the rift had wreaked havoc upon her and Solas, and the archers around them. They did not have enough men to spare to have called for the meelee fighters to assist, and so it had been up to them to handle the smaller foes. They had dispatched them all without death, but it did not mean they had avoided injury.

Aeda's body was exhausted, pushed to it's limits and still struggling forward. Her very core felt cold and drained, and her mark pulsed as if to send the last traces of her life's essence into the rift.

"We are almost there!" Solas called, finally sounding and looking as breathless and spent as the rest of them. "The rift is damaged, Aeda! Now might be our last chance."

Aeda nodded and pushed herself to her feet, waving Solas back. Solas attempted to feed energy into the Dalish as she thrust her hand one final time into the sky, but it was no easy task. He was exhausted, running nearly on empty and he could feel that she was in the same condition. They had come too close to fail now. He watched as the tendrils sprang forth from Aeda's hand with more life than they should have had. The rift shuddered and he felt the energy begin to splinter.

Below them the demon roared and fell to it's knees. Rawls was thrown forward, saved from hitting the ground only by driving the dagger into the demon's collarbone. He clung to the hilt of the dagger and a large spike off the demon's shoulder, hanging precariously. He was not incredibly far off the ground but it was enough distance that a fall was not safe. The glow in his hand seemed to bring the demon out of it's stupor just enough.

"It's not enough!" Solas shouted, putting a hand on Aeda's shoulder. "We need both of you!"

Aeda clenched her jaw and nodded, pain through her arm sucking the very breath from her lungs. She turned her head towards the fight below and narrowed her eyes, perking her ears. Rawls was in trouble but without his help the whole fight was lost.

"Rawls!" Aeda shouted, using the last dredges of her magic to amplify her voice. She knew her face would convey to him all he needed to know. She was finished, spent, and if they were going to win this fight she needed his help. She watched as he tried to look at her from his position, barely able to meet her eyes.

But he nodded. He understood. Aeda breathed out a sigh of acceptance as Rawls released the dagger and lifted his hand. The demon turned and opened it's maw. The surge of energy was immediate. Aeda thought she could vaguely hear sounds of cheering as her vision exploded in green and faded to black.


	4. Chapter 4

Aeda took in a slow breath and a soft smile traced her lips. She felt warm. There were soft blankets curled around her and she could vaguely hear the clan going about their daily business nearby. The sound was muffled from her aravel and strange. Her eyebrows knitted together as sore muscles and tired bones pulled her from her sleep. She caught words through the murmur and realized too slowly that they were not elvhen words.

Sucking in a breath and holding it, Aeda turned her head and opened her eyes. She was alive but she was no longer in the ruins of the Temple. She was no longer feeding magic into the rift. She was surrounded by the wooden walls of stationary human homes. She shifted further and her eyes landed on a young, dark-haired elf girl with arms full of boxes.

"Oh!" The young elf shouted, dropping the boxes and stepping back. She watched as Aeda slowly sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"W-where am I?"

"Forgive me!" The elf girl cried, suddenly dropping to her knees. The movement caused Aeda to start, fearing the girl had been attacked. A quick glance to the closed door and empty entrance-way assured the Dalish that was not the case. Aeda moved her eyes back to the bare-faced elf.

"I-I am just a humble servant!"

"Stop that." Aeda hissed.

"You-you are in Haven, ser." The girl looked up from her position on the floor.

"Haven?"

"Y-yes. They brought you here after you sealed the rift. You've stopped the demons from coming. You've saved us. It's--it's all anyone has talked about for the last three days." The elf girl slowly moved to sit on her haunches, still staring at Aeda in a mixture of fear and awe.

Aeda winced and reached up to press a hand to her head. She'd sealed the rift? Haven was safe? Three days!

"I don't understand."

"I-I'm sorry, ser, I don't know what else to tell you. I need to go. Lady Cassandra said to inform her at once when you awoke." The elf girl shoved herself quickly to her feet.

"What about Rawls? Is he... where is he?" Aeda prepared to stand. The bare-faced elf shook her head, eyes wide.

"'At once', she said!" The elf girl said in nearly a shout. She then turned and ran from the room, quickly pulling the door closed behind her.

Aeda leapt to her feet to follow but was caught off-guard by a wave of nausea and dizziness. She flopped back onto the bed and squeezed her eyes shut. She took in a slow breath to ground herself and opened her eyes. She lowered her gaze and looked, terrified, to her left hand. Slowly she turned her palm over and felt her heart sink. Split across her palm like a mouth was the mark, center still glowing green. She could see veins of green under the skin of her hands, wrapped around her fingers, coiled at her wrist and leaking into her forearm.

It did not pulse. The ache was soft and she could no longer hear the strange call of the Breach. She closed her hand into a fist, squaring her jaw and moving to her feet.

She paused to take full stock of the room. Her clothes were draped over a chair nearby and only then did she realize she wore a light gown. It was a strange garment, perhaps meant only to offer her modesty and nothing else. She was no fan of human fashion but it certainly seemed like this gown was far from even the most simple of human clothing trends. She shed it quickly and re-donned her own familiar, Dalish armor. Well-worn leathers, natural colors, snuggly fit and carefully crafted for both movement and protection. As a mage--reliant upon her dance with the staff--her armor was more focused upon movement than absorption but it served well.

Feeling more comfortable with her own things, Aeda approached the boxes the young elf had delivered. She searched through them and happily, eagerly pulled free a loaf of bread and a skin of water. Gulping them down like the savage humans painted her kind as, the mage was alerted to a shuffling sound in one corner.

Aeda perked her ears towards a cage situated under a window. Inside the cage was a large raven, curiously watching the Dalish with it's feathered head turned far to one side. Laying against the cage was a form covered almost entirely in a bear fur.

"Rawls!" Aeda moved to her feet, discarding her meal, and crouched next to the form.

Rawls was leaning against the raven's cage, arms folded over his chest, eyes closed and breathing slightly labored. The fur was ruffled high around his head, blending into the color of his hair and hiding him nearly completely from the rest of the room. Aeda carefully pried the bear skin back as Rawls did not stir. He wore his armor but it was tied loosely, half-off. Knowing Rawls to be smarter than that--to don armor incompletely--Aeda searched him keenly. Low on his torso, just above his hip, were wrapped bandages. They seemed clean enough but a few small spots of blood had pushed through. The mage reached out her hand and let it hang over the wound where she felt no heat. Clean, treated, tended to.

She carefully pulled the bear fur back over his shoulder, sighing in relief. She stood and took one more look around the room before heading towards the door. She pulled it open cautiously and felt the air escape her lungs. Her eyes grew wide and as an unseen force carried her feet past the threshold, Aeda stood entranced as if in a spell.

The air outside the cabin erupted into a shout of surprise. Voices were quiet in awe in the singular but together they made a roar of energy and speculation. Aeda had never seen such a large and diverse group of humans all gathered in one place before. They pushed into each other and rose up on their toes to get a better look over the barrier of guards in front of them. Aeda recognized the men as having been among Cassandra and Leliana's troops. They were lined on either side of a dirt path, standing to clearly hold back any over-eager observers. One or two of them waved her forward.

She was supposed to walk between them, surrounded by them. Aeda let out a huff of breath and was pulled from her stupor only by the sound of a crash from behind her and inside the cabin. The mage turned and quickly re-entered the cabin, pulling the door closed behind her and leaning against it for security.

"Aeda..."

The First lifted her eyes and her body relaxed. Rawls stood in front of her, off-balance and still draped in the bear fur. His ears were perked towards her. She rushed forward and quickly wrapped her arms around him, folding her hands between his shoulder blades and clutching him to her. She felt him sigh and wrap an arm over her waist. The other covered her shoulder so that his hand could grasp firmly at the back of her neck, under her hair. She felt his chin come to rest atop her head as their ears moved in tandem to relax, angled back just slightly.

Aeda could feel tears in her eyes as her mind came to rest finally on the shore, no longer tossed between half-recalled memories and adrenaline.

"Are you all right, lethallan?" Rawls asked as he tilted his head down to look at Aeda.

"I'm sore and alive." The mage offered with a soft kind of chuckle. She frowned and met his eyes before moving her glance down to his wound.

"It's fine." Rawls quickly assured her. "A parting gift from the demon. Aeda..." Rawls frowned as he stepped back. "Your mark... is it...?"

The warrior sneered as the mage turned her hand over, revealing she too still bore the stain. Rawls cursed.

"Fen'harel take them all! Damned shems!"

"Lower your voice! They're right outside!"

"I don't care. Look at what they've done to us. We did their work--fixed their damned rift... and what of it? We still hold their taint! They get out free and clean and we are left with the scars."

"I hardly think they got out free and clean, Rawls." Aeda cautioned as Rawls moved to peer out the front facing window. She saw him tense, a hand moving to his wound, as he saw the large crowd awaiting them. "Their kind died to keep us safe so that we could do what we had to do."

"They're going to kill us. They've gathered outside to lead us to their headsman."

"You don't know that. Give them a chance."

"Aeda did they scramble your brain!" Rawls turned and sneered. "When have they ever given our kind a chance? They hunt us, our clans and kill us without mercy. Not even the bare-faced elves in the shem's own cities are safe! Their all-mighty Empress burns down alienages, or have you forgotten?"

"I haven't forgotten, Rawls, I can't forget. I'm our clan's First, or have /you/ forgotten /that/? I know possibly more than you what the humans are capable of. Most of my life has been filled with cautionary tales and exercises on how to combat hostile shemlen, on how to save as much of our clan as possible in the case of shemlen attack. You act like this is part of your everyday life, but this /is/ mine. I learn just as much about humans and what they've done to us as I do about our own customs! You've complained every day that you've been able to talk that you don't belong, that you feel alone in our clan because you weren't born to us... that's halla shit. Imagine never being able to look at the clan as a whole without calculating who among them is the highest risk. Imagine never being able to relax because you must plan and forsee every attack. Imagine living always on the hunt, as the halla and not the wolf. Even in celebration I could never relax with the clan. If these humans want to help us, aid us in any way... I'm going to give them every chance I can to do so. If I can find within them good will maybe someday I'll be able to live as freely as you do. Until then I am your First, remember /that/."

Aeda found herself staring Rawls down. It was an odd moment of declaration and dominance for her, a step out of her comfort zone. Nothing had made sense since the Conclave and if they were going to get out alive, if they were going to figure out what had happened, she needed Rawls to put aside his anger and think clearly.

Both Dalish blinked and looked away as the door shook with a knock. Rawls reached up for his weapon but winced and dropped his arm. Aeda moved forward, Rawls sliding behind her, and she opened the door.

"Huh. Looks like you evaded Adan after all." Varric chuckled as he took in the sight of not one, but two Dalish peering at him with wild and cat-like eyes. "Look uh," he glanced over his shoulder at the swarm of humans behind him, "I know this looks bad but... the Seeker wants to see you two in the Chantry. I'd suggest you go see what she wants. Now that everyone knows you're both awake and alive... you won't be getting much peace."

Varric frowned knowingly as the elves did not move. He watched them look out over what they could see of Haven, bodies tense and souls eager to flee. He remembered that look, that posture. It was on a different elf for different reasons, but he knew the look. He lifted his hands.

"I offered to come break the ice since I'm halfway between them and you." He paused with a roll of his eyes. "Not my words, but sort of true. They're not going to do anything to you here, like this. That's what Leliana's guards are for; to make sure you reach the Chantry without being bothered. I can't say that'll hold true after you talk with Cassandra, but I've got more faith in her than that. You've done us all a great service, and most of the people here aren't going to be forgetting that any time soon."

"A great service?" Rawls echoed before Aeda could speak up. "What are you talking about?"

"You sealed the rift. Stopped the Breach from spreading. No more demons pouring down from the sky, and the hole hasn't gotten any bigger in three days. That's all thanks to you two, and Cassandra made sure everyone here knows that." Varric pointed up into the air, turning to draw the attention of the Dalish to the Breach.

Aeda moved outside slowly, pulled by the same force which had pulled her outside before. She held her left hand to her chest as she moved into the clear air and stared up. The sky looked calm but energized, the way it looked after a heavy storm. The Breach still hung in the distance but something about it did feel... safe, or at least calm.

Rawls followed closely at Aeda's back, eyes darting from the sky to the humans around them. He glanced down to Varric once and was rewarded by a smile and a nod from the dwarf. The warrior hesitated only a second before following as Aeda started down the dirt path. He hunched his shoulders and tried to bite back a wince. For their part--and in spite of himself--Rawls found he was surprised and thankful for the quiet sort of reverence which had taken hold of the shemlen. They all moved, swaying and shifting to get a better look at him--at Aeda--but none appeared hostile.

Aeda kept her focus on the path before her, the large building she assumed was the Chantry. She had thought the Chantry was a single building but it now appeared as if it was merely the place of worship for all shemlen believers, and not a holy and hallowed single location. The crowd thinned considerably near the doors of the intimidating structure. Her steps did not falter and she felt Rawls' growing ease from behind her like a welcome breeze.

As they approached two guardsmen moved to open the double doors, holding them ajar and nodding politely to the Dalish. Rawls and Aeda exchanged glances but continued forward. Rawls moved to Aeda's right, still a step or two behind her, but shifted in such a way as to draw attention to his position. He then turned his ears and eyes to the right, scanning every dark corner, every window, every possible escape route or advantage point he could find. Ahead of him Aeda cautiously swept her attention over the left of the building.

A few humans dressed in red and white Chantry robes watched the elves pass. They seemed gracious but uncomfortable. None of them moved to speak, intercept or pass judgement. A few sisters did nod as Aeda met their gaze, another indicated a door at the far end of the hall to Rawls. The Dalish could hear the voices of Cassandra, Leliana and the Chantry man from the bridge arguing behind the door. Aeda paused and Rawls seized the opportunity.

Cassandra glanced up as the door was shoved unceremoniously open. Her eyebrows lifted as both Dalish elves moved into the room, guards curious but dutiful behind them.

"I want them chained! Prepare them for journey to the capital, for trial!" Chancellor Roderick shouted immediately, wagging a finger in disgust.

"Ignore that. Leave us." Cassandra barked, staring down the guards. They offered her no resistance, nodding and retreating from the room. Rawls narrowed his eyes as the door shut behind them.

"You walk a thin line, Seeker." Roderick growled.

"I don't need your commentary, Chancellor, or your approval."

"What is this about?" Rawls hissed, nearing the table which separated the Dalish from the humans.

"The Breach may be closed, but it is still a threat." Cassandra explained calmly, before turning a darker eye to Roderick. "/I/ will not ignore it."

"We did everything that you asked." Rawls started in a low growl, ignoring the old man's huffing and puffing.

"I'm not sure what more we could do." Aeda intercepted, trying to keep things fairly civil. "Just sealing that rift nearly killed us both. I don't know that we could survive another attempt like this..."

"How convenient!" Chancellor Roderick shouted. "The Conclave and hundreds of human lives lost. Our Chantry leader, our Most Holy slain... and all the knife-ears can manage is to stop the spread of demons into further lands."

"Watch your tongue!" Rawls snapped back.

"The Breach is not the only threat, Chancellor." Cassandra's voice was low.

"Someone was responsible for the explosion at the Conclave, for the Divine's death. Someone--or a group of people--that she did not expect. That may still be at large." Leliana's voice was no less threatening than Cassandra's, though her threats were fair less veiled. The Chancellor recoiled from her words as if struck.

"/I/ am a suspect!?"

"You and many others."

"That is blasphemy! Why would /I/ kill the Divine? What could I possibly hope to gain!?"

"What does anyone stand to gain from this chaos?" Leliana shot back, moving closer to Roderick as Cassandra moved to retrieve something from a far desk.

"Why don't you ask them!" Roderick pointed to the elves. "The Dalish have always had it in for us humans! This chaos clearly benefits them and their savage kind!"

"Benefits us? Benefits us how!" Rawls rounded on the man, stopped as Aeda grabbed his arm. "Those demons threatened our lands, our people just as much as they threatened yours!"

"And now they are gone! Does no one else realize the implications?"

"You were not at the temple, Chancellor." Leliana crossed her arms over her chest. "You did not hear what we heard, see what we saw. Most Holy called out to them, sent them to us from certain death to warn us."

"Conjecture! How can you know that? Maybe you saw what they wanted you to see! Can you honestly say their survival, the marks on their hand are simply coincidence? All of those lives lost, Templars--good soldiers--and two Dalish elves are supposed to be believed to be... righteous in all this?!"

"The fact is that the Breach still remains, and their marks are our only chance at closing it for good."

"Dalish elves! Chosen by Andraste to guide us? To aid us in our darkest hour!"

"We are not chosen!" Rawls shouted, pressing a hand to his temple in disbelief. "We don't even believe in your Maker!"

"You see! This goes above you both, Seeker! This is not for you to decide!"

Cassandra returned to the group and dropped a heavy book onto the table. She slammed her fist onto it and pointed at the Chancellor.

"Do you know what this is?" She demanded. "It is a writ from the Divine herself, granting us--her right and left hands--permission to act." Cassandra stood and glanced around the room, eyes landing on Leliana. "As of this moment I declare the Inquisition reborn."

"We will close the Breach." Cassandra turned to Chancellor Roderick. "We will find those responsible." She stepped towards him. "And we will restore order." She paused to poke a finger at his chest. "With or without your approval."

The Chancellor looked at Casssandra in disgust. His eyes moved momentarily to Leliana, and then to Rawls and Aeda. He shook his head and stormed from the room. Cassandra spun and pulled her hands into her short hair as the sound of the slamming door echoed in the small room. Rawls threw his arms into the air and put his back to the women. Aeda moved to look down at the book.

"What is this? What does it mean?"

"What does it have to do with us?" Rawls demanded hotly, spinning back around. "Can we go?"

"This is the Divine's directive." Leliana explained, smiling softly at Aeda. "We are to find those who would stand against this chaos."

"That means exactly shit to us." Rawls snorted. "Your Divine's word is..."

"Powerful in your world, isn't it?"

"Very." Cassandra sighed. "The Divine, the Chantry, they are the only law that transcends borders and customs. It does not matter if you are from Orlais, Ferelden, or even Antiva... The Chantry is a way of life, a light in dark times. The Divine is--was--the center of it all. That this is her decree is very important."

"Cassandra I... fear we are not ready." Leliana said quietly. "We have no leader, no numbers, and now no Chantry support."

"We have no choice." Cassandra stated. "We must act now, it is our duty. And we must do this... with the both of you at our side." Cassandra turned to look at the Dalish, gaze mirrored by Leliana.

Rawls snorted and turned for the door, stopped once he realized Aeda had not moved. He paused and turned to look over his shoulder at her.

"You intend to restore... peace? To make sense of all this?"

"Yes. This was--Divine Justinia made this declaration to Leliana and I before the Conclave. She felt the Inquisition would be necessary if the Conclave failed."

"It certainly did that, didn't it." Rawls muttered. He turned and crossed his arms over his chest. "And what if we refuse?"

"You are free to go." Cassandra said, looking up to meet his eyes. "I now believe firmly that neither of you were responsible for this travesty. If you choose to go, so be it. I will personally make sure you make it back to your clan alive. But... you cannot pretend this has not changed you. You bear the mark of it on your hands, perhaps forever. This may have started among us, but how long until it reaches your kind? We have no idea why this has happened, or what those responsible intend to do next. Destruction of this scale, ill-will of this magnitude... it won't be long until all of Thedas is consumed by this chaos."

Aeda stepped back as Cassandra moved forward. Rawls stiffened as he was approached, arms still firmly crossed over his chest. Cassandra stopped in front of him and met his eyes. Her gaze was steady, unwavering. The elf tilted his head to one side as Cassandra held out her hand to him.

"I implore you to help us stop this... before it is too late."

Rawls slowly let his arms fall to his sides. His gaze moved from Cassandra to her out stretched hand, and then over her shoulder at Aeda. He watched the expression on his First's face soften. The mage perked her ears forward. Cassandra had asked him not out of disrespect for Aeda, but because the Seeker knew Rawls' opinion was the hardest won.

Leliana lifted her eyebrows, unsure of what the Dalish would decide. She could feel something kindred with Aeda--something deep, unseen--but Rawls was a wild card. He reminded her of another elf she had known though it seemed like a life time ago.

Aeda stiffened as Rawls slowly took Cassandra's hand, closing his fingers around her glove and meeting her gaze.

~*~

Varric crouched down next to the fire, holding his palms towards the flames with a soft hum of approval. The dying flickers eagerly took hold of the new wood offered and rejunvenated with new heat. The dwarf glanced over his shoulder at the scout and nodded, quirking a brow at the boy.

"See? What did I tell you. It just needed some new wood." 

"But it's got plenty." The scout argued, indicating the fully stocked fire. "I don't understand why adding more helps. It was fine before, everything's lit."

"Yeah but sometimes giving it something new to bite into restarts the whole process."

Varric stood as the boy waved at him dismissively. The dwarf brushed his hands off against one another and glanced towards the Chantry. The two Dalish kids were still in there and it turned Varric's stomach rather sour. He had more faith in Cassandra--and Leliana--than to assume they'd do anything foolish, but the dwarf hardly knew Josephine and Cullen... well, he knew Cullen a little too well. Granted he'd chatted with the Commander on their way over from Kirkwall and the man's sins weighed heavily upon him, but offer the opportunity to the newly repentant and it wouldn't be his fault if he took the bait. Varric liked the two elves, they had spirit and a little something else. They reminded him, in a way...

The dwarf snapped his gaze skyward as two large ravens suddenly burst into the sky from the Chantry balcony. He let his eyes follow them as they flew overhead and then into the mountains where they parted ways. Messengers, they belonged to Leliana.

Next would come the declaration of the Inquisition. Leliana and Cassandra had talked to him about it, in Kirkwall, and it wasn't hard to see that was their goal in all of this. Following that would be new rules, new decrees, new laws nailed somewhere easily read by all of Haven. The pub, maybe even the Chantry doors themselves. Inspection of troops, readying of weapons and armor and...

"Well, shit." Varric chuckled. "This feels damned familiar."


End file.
